Amaranthine Abhorsen
by Midnight Rain1
Summary: The last book of the Abhorsen trilogy becomes a little thicker... How does a Kingdom set itself back in order after almost being completely destroyed?


Disclaimer: Characters, places, familiar plot lines, etc. all belong to Garth Nix and not to me!

A/N: I apologise first of all for doing a story that has probably been done a hundred times already. I have not gone through all the fics for the Abhorsen trilogy to find out! Yes, it's cliché to finish the story, but I can't help butwrite about it. There is so much more I'd like to see happen and so many slightly frayed ends I'd like to see bound!

And so, I will do my best to be true to the characters and to the writing style. Let me know if anything is askew or if I can do anything to make it better! Thank you for reading and please review when you've finished. Thanks!

Now, let us begin where Garth Nix left us in his brilliant way….

**Chapter 30: Awakening**

Prince Sameth awoke slowly from what felt like a very long sleep. Although he couldn't imagine how he had fallen asleep after all that had happened. It was difficult to move, every essence of his being exhausted.

The bed he lay in was soft, he closed his eyes again briefly and sank further into the down mattress. He could hardly remember what it felt like to be so comfortable. His eyes opened. He tried to recall the last thing that had happened before he had reached this bed.

It was difficult, his brain felt clouded. Ever so slowly, he sat up and rubbed his eyes. His muscles ached, but he ignored them, almost used to pain by this time.

The Destroyer was gone, a wide path of destruction in its wake. The government of Ancelstierre had collapsed entirely. The leaders of the Our Country party had fled, leaving their supporters in a world that had so nearly been completely demolished.

Looking around, he recognised his surroundings as the Abhorsen's House. Before he could even guess where his parents might be, a sending entered the room. It resembled a woman, rather old, dressed in silver robes. Her entire being flowed with the charter marks that made her a physical being.

The sending bowed and said, "A message for the Prince, from the Abhorsen." As it mentioned Sabriel the bow grew lower.

Sameth stared at the sending, still slightly disoriented and simply said, "Well?"

The sending straightened and a message sounded from its throat, the voice that of his mother.

_Sameth, we are sorry to have left you alone, but you needed somewhere to rest so desperately… There was nothing to do, but leave you somewhere safe. You needn't worry for any of us, however. There is little danger remaining. The dead were either destroyed or fled back into death themselves. I don't believe it will take long to get rid of the ones who lingered. The Greater Dead especially were smart enough to run when their master was destroyed. It seems also that the Free Magic beings that were awoken are gone, though there may still be some to bind. We won't know until reports of them come in. By the time you hear this, I expect to be at the Perimeter. The Wind Flutes were broken and the full moon approaches swiftly. Your father and Ellimere will be dealing with the Southerlings who have survived. This we will discuss later. I cannot tell you if Lirael will still be in the House with you when you awaken. She was so thoroughly spent from her ordeal…but something tells me she'll want to join us as soon as possible. Don't feel any obligation to come running after us unless you are summoned. One of our group will return to you as soon as possible. I love you, Sameth. I cannot tell you how proud of you I am… You will hear it from me in person soon enough. All of my love, Mother._

After this lengthy message, Sameth asked the sending to repeat it once again. He sent it away then and laid back down. Unexpected tears stung his eyes. His mother was proud of him…

Suddenly, he swung himself out of bed, ignoring the soreness he felt as he did so. He dressed himself in robes that had been laid out for him and walked out of the room. The first thing he wanted to do was see if Lirael had left yet.

As he hurried down the stairs, he nearly flattened a small sending who was coming up. Sameth stopped just in time to avoid collision, not that the sending could be harmed in any way.

He addressed the sending then. "Is the Abhorsen-in-Waiting still here?"

The sending nodded. "I believe she has gone up to the tower, my Prince."

It bowed as Sameth hurried down the rest of the stairs. It took him ten minutes to reach the tower, but he did find Lirael there.

She stood quiet and alone, looking out over the horizon, seemingly deep in thought. Sameth was tentative to disturb her. In the end, he didn't need to. She turned sharply as he approached and her face melted into a small, exhausted smile as she saw him.

They said nothing to each other, merely embraced fiercely. After several minutes, Lirael released Sameth and looked at him. "How are you?" she asked.

Sameth shrugged, but couldn't find any words to say. The silence seemed more fitting. Lirael turned back to look at the stretch of land in front of them. Sameth looked too. It seemed almost peaceful after what it had been just days before. The forests were quiet and hundreds of Dead no longer stalked the lands. Though it would be a long time before things could ever be considered normal, at that moment they could pretend.

After a long, companionable silence, Lirael turned away. "I should not stay long. I should be helping the Abhorsen…" After a slight pause, she added, "Helping Sabriel."

"Aunt Lirael, don't you think you've done enough to merit a few days rest?" Sameth asked carefully.

Lirael turned abruptly and looked at him. "I've had a few days rest," she answered. "My position won't grant me much more."

"But…your hand."

The girl looked down at her right arm, still tightly bandaged despite the powerful healing spells that had been cast on it. She shrugged, trying her best to look nonchalant about it. "I…I will do without it for now."

Sameth stared at her hard. She seemed very young then, despite the brave front she put up. As he looked at her, her face slowly changed. She turned, as if to leave, her breathing becoming irregular. Sameth let her go, almost fearful of seeing her cry.

He was saddened to see her that way, but she needed time as did the rest of the Kingdom. But her hand… Such a terrible loss. She could not be the Abhorsen with only one hand. An Abhorsen had to wield sword and bell, sometimes more than one at the same time.

She had to have two hands… The Dog must have known that. But what could be done?

Suddenly, it came to him, like one of the lightening bolts from the terrifying storm that had almost killed them all. He was Prince Sameth of the Old Kingdom, the blood of the Wallmakers flowed through his veins. He would make her one.

With this sense of purpose, he hurried from the Tower. He found a higher sending who looked much more solid than many of the others. "I must return to Belisaere at once," he announced. "Please see that my things are prepared."

The sending bowed and hurried off to do his bidding. Now he had to find Lirael.

From another sending he learned which bedroom she had been given. An obvious choice, it was the one where the Abhorsen normally slept while in the house. He knocked on the door quietly.

After what seemed like a few minutes he heard her voice call permission to enter.

So she did cry after all, Sameth thought as he entered the room to find Lirael sitting quietly in a chair with eyes that looked much redder than usual.

Sameth inclined his head in a slight bow. He began without preamble. "I must return to Belisaere."

Lirael's eyebrows creased. "Why?" she asked simply.

Sameth stumbled. "Well…it's…it's a surprise," he finished lamely.

She smiled slightly at this. "Nothing serious then."

"Oh no… I just have to go, as soon as possible. You could come with me if you like."

Lirael considered this for a moment. Her mind seemed slightly clouded ever since she had awoken in Abhorsen's House the day before. Having completed such a daunting goal that was her fate to achieve, she was unsure what the next step for her would be. Her first instinct was to assist Sabriel in the defeat of any Dead that still lingered in life. That was her job after all wasn't it? But her hand… She remembered the Free Magic creatures she had read about and had seen just recently. Could she face such things with one hand?

She sighed and stood up. Going to the Palace would hold no purpose for her. At least at the Abhorsen's House she felt she belonged. And Sabriel would return as soon as she could… She had to stay.

"I will stay here, Sam," she said, relaying her decision.

Sameth nodded. "I shouldn't be too long. You can tell my parents where I've gone if they return before I do."

The two stood there for a moment, a little awkwardly. Something had changed between them. Now that they were no longer rushing into immediate danger, now that they had experienced so much together… What could be said?

At last Lirael forced a smile on her face and went to her nephew. She took his hand with her left and squeezed it tightly. "Thank you, Sam," she said with as much sincerity as she could muster.

He nodded, his throat suddenly choking him. "Goodbye, Aunt Lirael." With another squeeze of her hand he left the room. He would make her a hand, of the finest gold in the kingdom and magicked with all of his strength. The strength of a Wallmaker.


End file.
